On July 23, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians received the Diaspora Armenian teachers participating in the teacher training course organized by the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia. The teachers were escorted by Rector of the Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan in Yerevan, Professor Ruben Mirzakhanyan, reported the information system of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to Hayern Aysor.

During the meeting, Ruben Mirzakhanyan introduced His Holiness to the teachers from 16 countries, informing His Holiness that this was the 18^th time that the teachers of Armenian daily and Sunday schools of the Diaspora were participating in teacher training courses and that this course is being hosted by the Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan in Yerevan. The Rector touched upon the attention of the Mother See towards education and the educational issues in the Diaspora and asked the Catholicos of All Armenians for support to the pedagogues and their sacred mission.

Afterwards, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II expressed his greetings to the Diaspora Armenian teachers and conveyed his patriarchal message.

Expressing joy for the meeting, the Supreme Patriarch expressed his appreciation to the teachers for attaching importance to their job as teachers and for their commitment to visit Armenia and undergo training every year.

His Holiness attached importance to the attention that Armenia and Armenian organizations pay to the provision of an Armenian education and upbringing and emphasized that school is one of the major institutions for preservation of the national identity. In this regard, His Holiness expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia and to educational institutions and pedagogues who carry out the teacher training course for Diaspora Armenian teachers with zeal and responsibility and by helping Diaspora Armenian teachers provide Diaspora Armenian children with an Armenian education and upbringing.

Attaching importance to the mission of Armenian schools in the lives of Armenians, the Catholicos of All Armenians regretted to mention the fact that Armenian education is declining in the Diaspora. The Supreme Patriarch emphasized that the spirit of the nation is conveyed through Armenian schools and that schools shape the sons of the Armenian nation and help them gain knowledge of sacred values, history and recognize the greats, and this helps reinforce the national identity and national awareness, guaranteeing further involvement within the community.

His Holiness informed that, during his pontifical visits to various countries, he has discussed this troubling issue with diocesan leaders and clergymen, placing emphasis on the need for Armenian schools adjunct to churches in order to preserve the Armenian identity. In this regard, the Catholicos of All Armenians informed that in the year to come, the Mother See will also launch a similar training course to express solidarity with the teachers of Armenian educational institutions in the Diaspora and schools operating under the auspices of the Armenian Church.

At the end, Catholicos Karekin II urged the teachers to maintain the traditions of the past centuries and continue their service with a high awareness of their calling. He also wished that God bless them, give them strength and make their efforts fruitful.

In his turn, Director of the Christian Education Center of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Grace, Fr. Bishop Vardan Navasardyan introduced the teachers to the educational programs of the Center. His Holiness particularly touched upon the close cooperation between the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia in the general education sector, as well as the activities of the two schools and kindergarten operating under the auspices of the Mother See and the Armenian Humanitarian Lyceum of Calcutta. Bishop Navasardyan also talked about the ongoing training or teachers of 140 Armenian Sunday schools in Armenia and the support to the programs of the Sunday schools of Armenian Dioceses abroad. The teachers were provided with details about the beneficial educational and disciplinary mission of the eight youth centers of the Mother See and the AGBU.